What do you buy BEFORE you leave?

We are in prep mode for our upcoming trip. 47 days and counting!

What do you buy BEFORE you head off on your vacation?

I have a checklist of things to pack and take stock of whether I need any additional purchases - primarily things like suntan lotion, personal care items, socks, medications. As long as I have all the items on my checklist, I don't do any additional shopping.

We always buy too much new clothing for trips, not just Disney.

New clothes (at least tops ) for the most part. Everything else I usually have at home. It's just a matter of making sure I pack everything...

I always take my own rain ponchos. You can get inexpensive but good ones at a discount store. Don't waste your money on ones at the park. Trust me you will never use them again.

We keep a large Rubbermaid bucket in our closet we add to year round. A big thing for our kids are the Tinker bell gifts (little Disney themed toys or extras we give for behaving). We also buy new clothes, especially nice cushy socks. We make sure each family member has enough time to break in new shoes if they are needed.

We typically drive so 45 days out if a good time to start collecting books, snacks, road trip gear.

We keep an "ear box" with the things we use at Disney each year.

Our "must buys" before a trip are new, squishy socks, usually a few new clothes for each of us and refresh the stock in the first aid kit. Geeky, but I love knowing we have our own band-aids, pain relievers, etc in case they are needed.

Moleskin, definitely moleskin.

I make sure I get dollar store rain ponchos, a travel size sunblock for my carry on, a word search book, and snacks. This way I don't have to spend a ton on a poncho if it rains, I can get right to a park or pool without waiting for ME to deliver my bags with the full size sunblock, and I won't spend a fortune on airport food.

I have a (maybe geeky) tradition. Every morning I get up and check the weather report. Then I think about which days to go to the park, which park, oops-it's raining on Tuesday so what will we do on Tuesday, and it's going to be too hot on Wednesday so that won't be an Animal Kingdom day, etc. Then the next day, I check the weather report again-of course it changes every day. So now it's not going to rain on Tuesday, but it will Thursday. And now Monday's hotter than Wednesday. So I shuffle our plans, then and repeat every day for the last two weeks, as time gets closer. Gotta get those plans down!

Rain ponchos from dollar store. Trading pins from ebay. Lanyards from dollar store. Micky t shirts from Target or similar. Sunscreen and face stick. Excedrin, advil, Benedryl, first aide stuff.

Ha! Based on the title I thought you were asking this question the other way around. As in what do you buy before you leave WDW. For us its snacks...lots and lots of snacks before we jump on the DME back to MCO.

Make sure you have good pair of comfortable walking shoes, and break them in by wearing them before you leave. I made the mistake of buying a new pair of shoes before one of our Disney visits, but didn't wear them much before I left. They turned out not to fit so well and after the first day, my feet were in pain!

With only 35 days to go😆
Packed so far
Me:new shirts.shorts.cosmetics
DS1:new shorts.shorts.socks.sneakers
DS2:new shirts.shorts.sneakers.hat

Quiet pool toys.sandals.dis towels.phone

Savafan- Moleskin.. Can't underestimate this one.

Off Wipes (easier to apply on faces and neck), cool wipes, handiwipes, hand sanitizer, ziploc bags (for phones and wallets in rain or water rides), fresh inserts for my shoes, new fresh thick socks, bic lighter (for my cigars), paracord (make handles for resort mugs, misc quick fixes), carabiners, new roll of duct tape, quick knife sharpener,

I don't have a whole lot that I buy. We are just 9 days (9 slow days away it seems) from going, and all I've done is listed personal items needed to stock up on. However, not just for Disney, but for most vacations I like to go to Barnes & Noble and buy a book for the road - it takes about 14 hours for us to get there and we span it over two days. Needless to say, I have a huge shelf of books but like to purchase something "new" for the road.

A few months in advance I will scroll Etsy for some unique homemade mouse ears also :mickey:

When I'm going in the summer I buy a small travel-size pack of baby wipes. Nothing freshens you up and wakes you up like a quick wash of the face. So, so sweaty and sticky in the summer!
I also refill my little Disney hand sanitizer bottle. That's about it. We're old pros at hitting the parks now and I don't bother with the new clothes or hats anymore.

A new Minnie Mouse shirt for Baby Bear to wear at the Magic Kingdom!